I just saw and commented a couple of times on a Robert Smith poll question if people would still bowl with equipment not sanctioned by the PBA and stated that Global decided not to renew the contract with the PBA. So far that is 2 companies that decided against paying the fee for registering for PBA with Morich doing the same a couple of years ago.

Licensing fees for small companies such as Global and Morich make it tough to compete with the big boys, and unfortunately, anyone who might aspire to bowl in PBA events would not be making a good decision to purchase equipment that they'd have to leave home when going to a tournament. I understand there was a regional registration program available, but with no TV exposure, it doesn't make sense to me for them to participate.
Shortsightedness by the PBA in my opinion. They're trying to nickel and dime their way into surviving another season (every year it seems). I know the reg program has been in place for a long time, but it seems like they're pinching pennies, when they could try and collect a certain amount for each ball sold and charge nothing up front. I'd pay an extra $3-5/ball if I had to. Prices go up every year or two anyway- might as well make it go towards something worthwhile.

So I take it that we wont see Missy Parkin in her pink global shirt anymore. I wonder if she will move to another company like Track. I know that is were WRW went last year.

WRWJ is with Brunswick http://www.bowlwithbrunswick.com/pros/walter-ray-williams-jr/.

I'm fine with the PBA charging a fee, but the manufacturers need to get more out of it then just allowing their equipment to be used.

Visionary made the same decision back in 2009

http://visionarybowling.com/?p=112

The big issues for those smaller companies is that they aren't getting exposure even on TV because the majority of the small companies cannot gain interest from the bigger pros, at least not the ones making TV consistently.

So these small companies can't get big names on TV and have to pay the same price as the bigger companies, not only that but the smaller companies cannot spend the money on R&D that the big boys do so they are behind in technology as well.

Companies like Global, AMF, Morich, etc just cannot keep up with the money Brunswick, Ebonite and Storm are throwing out at new products and big name bowlers.

Think of the list of bowlers that bowled for Global and how much money they were spending to watch them miss cuts and get knocked out in match play early.

Haugen was their biggest name and he rarely makes TV.

Voss is a huge name but hes not really a threat to make TV anymore.

And Robert Smith was a good bowler but considering I have only seen him make a singles title TV finals twice in my entire time bowling he isn't bringing exposure either.

For more than a few years, WRW was on TV almost weekly using MoRich balls. And, MoRich saw very little return in their PBA payment investment. So, they backed off. One year, WRW paid their fee himself so he could use their balls. I really wonder what benefit the ball companies get in return for the payment.

Is the champion the ball or the bowler? I contend, the bowler.

Other Sports have rules prohibiting players from wearing advertisement on their uniforms. Some bowlers look like walking billboards. It degrades the Sport.

Everyone knows Baseball players use Hillerich & Bradsby or Louisville Slugger Bats as you often see the label. Same with Wilson or Mizuno Gloves. Yet, those products don't have to pay to be used. I frankly don't know what Tennis Racket is being used. And, if I didn't see a swoosh on a jersey, I wouldn't know which one it was. Only the PBA demands this payment. The bowling winner didn't use the best ball, only the one who paid him to use it and paid the PBA for it to be used. Those ball companies who pay have bought a market. And, in my mind, have not earned it.

This payment is just one of the irrational things the PBA has done over the years to degrade the Sport.

In a day where Bowling is searching for sponsorship for prize money, the PBA should force the equipment companies to sponsor the event to get their name broadcast. The money should go to the winning bowlers, not the PBA.

The sports that don't allow the walking billboards have prize funds big enough that the players don't need to beg everyone for sponsorship so they can continue to compete.
We're watching a lot of the US Open tennis, and when the #20 seeded woman (Vinci) played #2 (Radwanska) the other day (I had vaguely heard of #2, had no idea who #20 was), they mentioned that the #2 seed had made $10m in her career, and the #20 had made almost $4m, or almost as much as WRW has made in 30 some odd years on tour. Vinci is 29, and 15 of her 22 titles have been in doubles.
The disparity of top athletes' earnings is ridiculous when you try to compare bowlers to tennis players or golfers. Tiger just went over $100m in career earnings (prize money only).

Other sports do mandate payments and contracts with companies for their equipment to be used as well, its not just bowling.

The NFL just signed a huge contract, which including a payment to the NFL, with NIKE to be the official apparel company for the teams uniforms and sideline gear. The company prior to them was REEBOK and they were outbid this time around.

So because NIKE paid more, REEBOK cannot be worn by any NFL players on the field, sideline, or during press conferences.

The NFL is the most profitable sport in the world right now I do believe, they were a 9 Billion dollar franchise last year, 9 Billion!

$9 Billion for the NFL alone I'm guessing? Because there was an article out recently on the top 50 most valuable teams in the world, and there were at least 11 or 12 NFL teams on that list at over a billion dollars each.

It's ridiculous in all reality, and until the PBA opens the floodgates for bigger and better sponsors, then it will continue to be a Professional Sport that is struggling to survive...